Chrysanthemum - samurai flower

In this article we will focus on the "flower of samurai" - chrysanthemum. We will tell you about how to care for chrysanthemumwhat kind of soil she likes and how often she needs to water the plant. Consider possible pests and teach them to fight. We will tell you how to achieve luxurious flowering of chrysanthemums.

Chrysanthemum growing conditions

Chrysanthemum It belongs to the genus of annual and perennial herbaceous plants, which includes 29 species. In nature, the flower grows in the temperate and northern areas of Asia.

When growing chrysanthemums, you need to follow the rules so that the plant blossoms and has a healthy appearance.

The soil

To begin, consider what land is needed for chrysanthemum.

Chrysanthemum is demanding on the soil, so the substrate must be selected special. The soil should be nutritious, loose and have good drainage properties. Thus, if you have heavy clay soils in your garden, then before planting a flower, you need to cultivate and apply a sufficient amount of organic fertilizer. Otherwise, the chrysanthemum will grow poorly and will not accumulate enough energy to survive the winter.

Lighting and humidity

Chrysanthemum is a flower of short daylight. They plant the plant so that at noon its petals do not burn the sun. The plant is light-loving, but the light must be diffused. If the flower is grown at home, the pot should be put on the east or west side. Thus, the plant receives the desired light and does not "burn out."

Humidity should be about 40-50%.Therefore, in spraying needs only in summer or winter (if the flower is contained in the house).

Watering and dressing chrysanthemums

Go to watering and top dressing plants.

Chrysanthemum, although resistant to drought, but it is not necessary to take it as a rule. The flower should be watered often, but do not wet the ground too much so that the roots are not affected by rot. Moisturize the soil when the topsoil is dry.

Chrysanthemums are very fond of additional feeding. The plant grows well on soils rich in minerals and humus, but the supply of nutrients is not eternal, so fertilizing is necessary and important. The plant loves organic fertilizer in the form of humus and compost. Also, the plant requires peat for normal growth and development.

Top dressing is made in several stages.

First stage - after landing in the ground. Use organics, which add superphosphate.

Second phase - 2 weeks after the growing season. The third feeding is made during the formation of buds (make a mixture in which 25 g of phosphorus and 45 g of potassium). Consider in detail fertilizer for chrysanthemum.

Nitrogen Potash. Submitted under the small-flowered plants. In such fertilizers should be more potassium than nitrogen (using a mixture in which 25 g of nitrogen, 25 g of phosphorus and 45 g of potassium).

Nitrogen. Used for tall chrysanthemums with large flowers. In this case, the dose of nitrogen in fertilizers increases (50 g of nitrogen, 25 g of phosphorus and 25 g of potassium). The lack of nitrogenous fertilizers leads to the fact that the plant begins to weaken, the leaves turn yellow and fall off, the flowers become smaller. Nitrogen deficiency is determined by the paleness of the leaves (in a healthy flower the color is dark green).

Phosphorus. This element is necessary both during flowering and during the growing season. Especially important phosphorus for large plants.

Phosphorus is recommended to be applied in early spring along with organic fertilizers. In the case of phosphorus, overdose does not carry any danger to the chrysanthemum.

Nuances of care

Every plant needs at least minimal care.Chrysanthemum also requires attention, which we will tell you about.

Transfer

Since the chrysanthemum is an open ground plant, it needs frequent transplants, which are carried out at least once every 3 years.

Let's start with autumn transplant plants. Transplant in the pot spend during flowering, when the temperature at night drops below zero. The new "house" is filled with nutrient soil, gravel or stones are put on the bottom of the pot for good drainage. The place for the winter period is chosen cool. (+3 будетC is the ideal temperature) with poor lighting. When the chrysanthemum blooms, you need to cut the flower, leaving about 15 cm of the stem, cover with a paper bag and leave it until spring.

Spring transfer is carried out after warming, when at night the temperature does not fall below zero. To begin with, remove the sack from the pot, so that new sprouts appear. When the chrysanthemum "wakes up", it can be planted in open ground.

Trimming and Pinching

For a plant, pruning and pinching are very important, since after these actions, the formation of new lateral shoots occurs and the development of the root system improves.

Pinching and pruning are techniques during which the upper part of the flower's shoot is cut. The difference between pinching and trimming - in the amount of the top, which is cut. In order to get a lush bush, you need to carry out spring chrysanthemum pruning. Also pruning is carried out if new cuttings are needed. If cuttings are not required - make a nip.

Let's start with pinching. Large-flowered chrysanthemums pinch when the plant reaches a height of 15 cm. Pinching is to remove the apical bud. Of all the shoots leave 2-3, which remove all side shoots and buds, except for the apical. Pinching small-flowered plants is the formation of a well-developed crown with a large number of shoots. For this, pruning of the shoot above the 5th leaf is made.From the remaining buds appear shoots that pinch over the 8th leaf. After pinching we get a plant with a lush crown, which gives about 30 inflorescences.

Pruning Chrysanthemum. Most modern chrysanthemum hybrids do not need pruning buds, but the general rule is this: the smaller the buds, the larger the flowers. If you want to get a lush inflorescence of large diameter - you need to cut off all the side shoots and buds, leaving one main.

Wintering

If you do not repot the chrysanthemum in the pot for the winter, then you should take care of sheltering the plant for the winter. Let's write out the "instruction" of preparation.

Preparation of plants for winter begin in early September. The plant is fed with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, which increase the frost resistance of the flower. After feeding, cut dry branches and check for diseases (if the flower is sick, we are treating, and only then we continue to transplant). After processing and testing, chrysanthemum spud and level the soil around the plant. Before planting chrysanthemums before winter you need to shorten the stem so that there is no more than 10 cm.

The plant has been prepared, now it is worth making a shelter. To do this, bricks are placed around the bush, and boards are placed on top of them. Such a construction will save the plant from freezing and will not allow it to “suffocate”. In this case, it is important to observe the following rules: do not cover chrysanthemums until severe frosts, as from an overabundance of moisture they can rot; Shelter should not be very heavy and dense.

Another option (more complicated in terms of execution) suggests the following: Dig a trench with a depth of 50 cm and a width of 0.7 m; dig up chrysanthemum bushes (keep a clod of earth on the roots) and place them in a trench. From above you need to fall asleep all the dry leaves or straw. When it starts to freeze, you need to cover the trench with leaves of metal or slate and cover it with earth on top (the layer should be about 12-15 cm).

Chrysanthemum reproduction

Chrysanthemum can be propagated in three ways: cuttings, dividing the bush and seeds. We will tell you about these methods, and you decide which option suits you best.

Cuttings

The best option for cutting chrysanthemums is from March to the end of May. Early varieties are grafted in March or April, later - in April or May. During the intensive growth of the flower it is often watered and fertilized once every 2 weeks. Cut out the cuttings (rarely cut) from shoots on which there are at least 4 leaves (the cutting itself should also have 3-4 leaves).

On the cut cuttings remove the bottommost sheet, others keep. Planted escape into the substrate, which "breathes" and passes moisture. To do this, use peat, perlite or a mix of turf land, peat and sand (in equal parts). The soil layer must be at least 10 cm.

Moisturize before planting. Sow cuttings to a depth of 1.5 cm so that future roots get the maximum nutrients. When planting, it is necessary to maintain the temperature in the region of 17 ˚С (higher temperature may lead to the decay of the shoot). Do not forget about the lighting, which is very important for photosynthesis. At night, 100 watt lamps are used for additional lighting.

In the first week after planting, you should regularly moisten the soil and air. Watering is carried out every 2 days.

The rooting of the cutting in January-March is 24-25 days, in April-May - about 18 days.

After rooting, chrysanthemum plants are fed 2 times a week with full-value mineral fertilizers.

Division bush

Chrysanthemums can be propagated by dividing the bush. To do this, dig the plant immediately after flowering and thoroughly washed the roots. If the bush is very high - it should be cut so that the flower does not experience a lack of moisture (the longer the shoot, the more it evaporates). Also removed central lignified shoots. Further, a part of the peripheral part (the knife can be not used) with developed kidneys is broken out and used for planting.

Before planting, you need to dig a hole of the same depth, on which the mother bush “sat”. After planting, the young plant is watered abundantly.

Seeds

Go to growing chrysanthemums from seeds at home. This method can grow both annuals and perennial plants.

You can sow the seeds immediately in the ground, and you can - in the pot. When sowing in open ground, the seeds are placed in the wells (the distance between the holes - 25 cm) 2-3 pieces, watered with warm water and sprinkled with earth. A week after sowing, you need to feed the plant with highly diluted liquid fertilizer. When young chrysanthemums grow to 10 cm in height, it is worth leaving one of the strongest of 2-3 plants. Landing in open ground is carried out in the month of May.

The disadvantage of planting in the open ground is the flowering time of the chrysanthemum, which will occur only in late August.

When seeding in the pot, the beginning of the "works" is transferred to the end of February. To do this, take shallow boxes, put drainage in the form of gravel on the bottom and fill it with earth (soil + peat + humus in equal amounts). When sowing perennial chrysanthemums, the seeds are left on the surface, the annuals are placed at a depth of 5 mm. After that, the earth is sprayed with water, covered with glass or film and put in a warm place (+ 24-25 ˚C). Periodically crops need to be checked, sprayed with warm water and aired. Young plants sprout 14 days after planting.

If the seedlings have grown densely, then after the appearance of 3-4 “real” leaves, they are transplanted into cups or other, more capacious containers.

Immediately after transplantation, the plants are sprayed with the drug "Zircon" to help the chrysanthemum settle down better.

After the most difficult stage, the care of young plants is reduced to maintaining the temperature at the level of 16-18 С.

In the open ground seedlings are planted in late May - early June.

At this breeding seed completed. After transplantation in open ground, the conditions of care are the same as for an adult plant.

The main pests, how to deal with them

Chrysanthemum is afraid of pests as well as other garden plants. That is why it is important to know the cause of the poor state of the flower and to deal with parasites in time. We turn to the consideration of the pests of chrysanthemum.

Aphid

Aphids often appear on chrysanthemums, so this is the first pest on our list to help you cope.

It affects this pest, in the first place, the unblown buds of the plant. The result of this parasite are twisted leaves and deformed buds.

Aphids not only deprives the plant of strength, but also is a carrier of diseases, so you need to fight it the sooner the better.

Folk methods of struggle offer a huge number of "drugs" to combat aphids. Here are the most popular:

- decoction of dried onion leaves (used at any time when chilled);

- garlic tincture (crushed garlic is infused for 2 hours; the infusion is diluted with water and the plant is sprayed every 3-4 hours);

If folk methods do not suit you, you can use following drugs:

1. Karbofos, metaphos, phosphomide (dissolve 20 g per 10 l of water and spray the whole plant completely);

2. Chemical aerosols from flower parasites (they offer a simpler version of use).

Spider mite

Another unpleasant "guest" for your flower. It can only be viewed with a magnifying glass, but the fine web on the plant can also be seen with the naked eye.

These mites, like aphids, suck up the sap of the plant. They bite through the cells and feed on the nutrients of the flower. With a strong lesion leaves lose color and dry out.

Consider methods of dealing with a pest.

1. Ultraviolet light. Mite does not tolerate ultraviolet light, so it is enough once a week, using a home UV lamp, to light the flower for 2-3 minutes.

2Alcohol treatment. The whole plant is wiped with 96% alcohol, with a small layer of the solution applied with cotton. The treatment is repeated after a week.

Folk methods of tick control:

• garlic tincture (500 g of minced garlic is filled with 3 liters of water and infused for 5 days in a dark place; 60 ml of the infusion is diluted in 10 liters of water and 50 g of soap are added);
• chamomile tincture (1 kg of dry crushed chamomile is filled with 10 liters of hot water and insisted for 14 hours; the solution is diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 3 and soap is added);
• tincture of dandelion medicinal (0.5 kg of fresh leaves insist 2-4 hours in water 40 ° C; treatment is carried out after the leaves bloom and after flowering).

It is important to know that the tick can return to the plant, so after processing the chrysanthemum, you need to sanitize everything in a radius of 1 square. m from the flower.

Chrysanthemum nematode

These are small worms that cannot be seen with the naked eye. After a nematode is damaged, black dead tissues appear in the form of spots on the plant, which are located between the veins of the leaf.

There are some varieties of chrysanthemums that are resistant to nematode damage - Sunflower, Katie Ernst, Bergatet. To rid the plant of nematodes, it is necessary to conduct heat treatment of the plant with warm water of 45 ˚С. You also need to remove the affected parts of the plant mechanically.

If the previous measures did not help, then, unfortunately, the plant must be destroyed along with the land in which it grew.

Diseases of chrysanthemums, their treatment

In the previous topic, we looked at the parasites that prevent your flower from growing and developing; now let's move on to description of diseases and their treatment.

Gray rot

Gray rot is a fungus. When a flower is infected, brown spots appear on the leaves, which grow to the edges of the leaf. From the leaves, the rot can "migrate" to the stem, forming light brown spots on it. Ultimately, the flower turns into a wet brown mass and dies. All affected parts of the plant are covered with a dense gray bloom of the fungus.

The main cause of fungus is the increased humidity of the air and soil. Rot most often develops in spring and autumn on sections and "wounds" of the plant.

To get rid of gray rot, use the following fungicides: Ronilan FL 0.15%, Rovral 50 SP 0.15%, Sumileks 50 NP 0.1%, Fundazol 50 SP 0.1%.

Mealy dew

The causative agent is microscopic fungi that parasitize on the flower.

Mealy dew appears as white or gray-white scurf. Signs of the disease appear on young leaves at the beginning of the growing season. With a strong fungus infestation, young buds do not bloom and dry out.

Mealy dew infects the plant in late July - August. This happens because of the accumulation of dew on the leaves, when using a large amount of nitrogen fertilizers or lack of potassium.

To get rid of the disease, you need to ensure regular watering, ventilation and good lighting of the plant. Sick and dried leaves are removed from the plant. You can also use the following drugs: Anvil 5 SK 0.06%, Bayleton 25 SP 0.05%, Triadimefon 25 SP 0.05% and Sistan 12 EC 0.03%

Leaf Rust

Microscopic fungus, infection which manifests itself in the form of small yellowish-green spots on the leaves. Gradually the color of the leaves changes to yellow with black dry spots, then dies off.

The fungus twists the leaves down, which is why the chrysanthemum changes its appearance.

To get rid of the disease, you need to feed the plant phosphate-potassium fertilizers. The bush should be sprayed with fungicides (Fundazole or 1% colloidal sulfur). All affected leaves are cut off and burned off-site.

Root bacterial cancer

With the defeat of root cancer on the plant growths are formed (much like a tumor in animals). The causative agent of the disease lives in the soil. With the defeat of chrysanthemum cancer grows rapidly and destroys the plant. There is no cure for this disease, so the bush is dug out and burned.

So that your plant does not hit the cancer, you need to carry out prevention. It is necessary to dig up the soil in the fall and remove all plant residues from the site. Also take care to improve drainage.

Leaf spot

The spotting or septoriosis of chrysanthemum is manifested in the form of pale areas on the leaves. Orange spots appear on the back of the sheet.Septoria is also caused by microscopic fungi that are dangerous to the plant.

To get rid of the disease, you need to remove and burn the affected leaves, spray fungicides (Polycarbacin (30-40 g / 10 l), Homezin (40 g / 10 l), Kuprozan (50 g / 10 l)). Weed control and potash phosphate fertilizers are applied. Also, when watering should avoid moisture on the body of the flower.

We have brought to you the most important information about the cultivation and reproduction of chrysanthemums. They told the nuances of flower care, both in the open field and at home. They told about pests and diseases that can and should be dealt with. Follow all the listed rules, and the flower will delight you with abundant flowering and healthy appearance.